Something New - How to Host An Afternoon Tea Party
My Pizza Experience
Pizza Dough
Sometimes I take a break from cooking, I purchase premade or precooked items at local grocery stores especially when I have limited time in the day. I don't do it very often but lately I started to notice some digestive issues with the pizza/bread dough or cooked pizzas purchased from my local grocery store. They are very tasty but are like lead sinkers in my gut. I find that I feel bloated, like there is a ball of food stuck in my gut. One that takes quite awhile to digest. I find this very uncomfortable. (I only eat one or two pieces, it not like I am binging on the stuff.)
So I tried a little experiment. I made a thick crust pizza dough with a rustic sausage and peppers topping made from scratch and topped it off with fresh mozzarella balls. The dough takes less than 20 minutes to make and the topping maybe another 15 minutes. It cooks for 20-25 minutes, while I have a sip of beer or wine. I do not use any commercial dough additives, modifiers or preservatives when I make it. Just fresh wholesome ingredients.
The kitchen smelled wonderful while it was baking. I couldn't wait to taste it. I did binge just a little this time. I had 3 pieces instead of my usual 2. The odd thing was, even eating an EXTRA piece, I did NOT feel stuffed or bloated or uncomfortable. It was not heavy on my system and I found it very easy to digest.
The leftovers were gobbled up the next day and again without any digestive issues.
Tried it again a couple of weeks later and again, a wonderful, tasty and easy to digest meal.
So now I make my pizza myself (with a little wine on the side) or buy my pizza from a pizza house where I know they make their dough fresh on site and prepare their own sauces and toppings.
Caveat Emptor: Let The Buyer Beware!!
Read the Ingredient Label
Read the ingredients on label, discount the marketing and product name!
I noticed there is a lot of information posted about certain foods that are purported to be unhealthy. I am not a medical doctor or a nutritionist. I am however a classically trained biochemist with a background in chemistry and 50+ years of scratch cooking. So I have been around awhile and am still here so something is working well. I have seen various ideas come and go. I have my own ideas about what is good for ME.
I have never followed the recommendations for eating nonfat foods long term. Nonfat foods had the fat removed but were loaded with sugars or salts to try to give them some flavor ...flavor that’s too sweet. Nature prefers a balance! We are part of the natural system.
I always read the ingredient labels when buying any food products (or any products for that matter), irrespective of what they are named. I do my own research on the ingredients. If I buy it, I keep a notebook on the products’ taste, cost and overall performance. I have found some products that in my opinion have little value or taste but are named as healthy alternatives. This to me is a marketing ploy to sell their products. I make notes in my book NEVER to purchase this product again. I bring my notebook to the store with me when I shop.
My own experiences are interesting. I remember being at a small entrepreneur function for new products years ago. This was a gathering to promote new local businesses and products as well as the opportunity to meet potential investors. Everyone brought samples of their products so the group could try them. I brought some cookies I made with my own recipes. I packaged them simply and brought them to the group. We set up small tables to showcase our products.
At this function, I tried some of the other products. One in particular comes to mind. This company had generous funding from local investment groups. The product looked excellent in the package, the packaging was professionally done, a great name, and looked shelf ready for sales. I was impressed. I tried the product while the women selling it tried fervently to convince me of how healthy it was and how tasty. That this is something I should always buy because it was healthy.
While she is going on and on about the benefits of eating her product, the one thought going thru my mind was where could I spit this stuff out without being too obvious. It was dry, lifeless and tasted like road dirt.
I would never spend money on that product no matter what its alleged health claims were. It tasted revolting. Life is too short to eat to bad food. In my opinion, a tiny amount of good food is preferable to a massive quantity of bad food.
As I was thinking this, I heard someone a few feet away saying in surprise, “hey these cookies taste great”. I looked over to see him sampling my products .. repeatedly. My products never received commercial endorsement from investors but were made from real, wholesome and natural ingredients. Ingredients I grew up with and still use to this day. No food additives, modifiers or artificial ingredients. I grew up in the 50’s so it is something I have lots of experience with and something I do very well.
I believe life is a balance. Everything in moderation. I cook with fats; butter and olive oil and even a little sugar and salt but in balance.
Fats give food flavor and convey satiety. I find I eat and am satisfied with smaller portions. I also find more flavor and enjoyment in the food without consuming massive amounts. Yes, food is fuel but it can be so much more. A simple but well-made meal with friends and family can make an ordinary day a wonderful time filled with savory scents, good time and with memories. So that when I smell the food again, it reminds me of good food, family and pleasant times.
SPRING BIRTHDAY CAKE
STRAWBERRY CAKE ROLL
Decided to do something different for my daughters birthday this year. She likes strawberry shortcake so I made a strawberry cake roll with fresh whipped cream and spring strawberries. It was my second time making a cake roll and It was delicious.
My first attempt was not so pretty so I reviewed the recipe, the steps and the ingredients and modified it. This is a picture I took with my camera phone! Yes it really did look that good.
I made a simple genoise sponge cake, rolled it up with sifted confectionary sugar to prevent sticking. Timing here is critical! I made a modified fresh strawberry jam with chopped spring strawberries and sugar to coat the inside and give it some color as well as flavor. I made stabilized whipped cream with a little gelatin and sugar. This way the whipped doesn't wilt over time. I do not like soggy cake. I found this to be a good balance for the dessert. You can add a little strawberry gelatin to the whipped cream if you prefer a pink color and a slight strawberry flavor. I like the combination of strawberries and simple vanilla whipped cream
My daughter enjoyed the cake. I think my son (Chef Alex) would liked it as well. It was light, flavorful, and visually appealing. Top it off with a drizzle of lightly sweetened strawberries and sugar to make a great mother's day dessert.
This is something I plan on making again in June when local, native strawberries are in season. The natural sweetness of the berries is incredible and that makes the dessert outstanding.
Fresh Multigrain Bread and Hamburger Rolls
Delicious, Flavorful Whole Grain Goodness
I've been baking for MANY years and I love bread.
This bread is one of my favorite recipes. I like a hamburger where the bun doesn't fall apart before I finish it. So I modified one of my bread recipes to give it a little substance but still keep its flavor. It's a winner. It has a nice texture, holds up well as toast or rolls, smells heavenly when baking and is simply delicious.
It's a combination of flours, several whole grains (cracked), bran, egg, butter, milk, yeast so it's substantial but not heavy. It is satisfying so one or two pieces help make the meal. I have it toasted with an egg, avocado, fruit and coffee for breakfast. It makes a great sandwich too.
A rich bread recipe that does require a little longer proofing time but so worth the effort. No artificial preservatives so I feel good about what I am feeding myself and my family. One recipe makes 2 1-lb loaves or 1 loaf and 5 buns. I make one recipe and its lasts almost a week for the two of us.
This recipe is in the Food Nirvana - Bread, Dough and Pizza Book. This picture is from bread I made this week. Took a quick photo with my camera phone. I try most if not all the recipes in my books. After all I have been cooking and baking for many years. I like to eat but I like good food with friends and family. Buon Appetito!
Key Lime Pie
Update to an old favorite
Summertime and warm weather brings to mind the enjoyment of cool, refreshing citrus flavors.
This is my version of key Lime pie. A tart , tangy lime flavor enhanced by sweet cream and a shortbread crust. A tangy blend of sweetened lime juices, lime zest, then stabilized with eggs, and dairy creams. A hint of green color and complimented with a special butter shortbread cookie crust.
We first eat with our eyes, then our noses and finally with our mouths. The light green color draws the eye and makes it appealing. Then the light citrusy lime scent entices us to taste. The taste is cool, tangy, and creamy, delightfully refreshing to the palette.